The Mystic
by renegadetimelady
Summary: A hidden Time Lady named The Mystic has lost her visions and has been regenerating for no good reason.  Her TARDIS spins out of control and takes her to the Doctor, her lover before Gallifrey burned. Can he help her and defeat The Master once more?
1. It Was Mine

_My name is The Mystic. I'm not claiming to be a Time Lord, because I know you won't believe me, but I am. A Time Lady, more or less. I'm writing this to tell you my story, my life after Gallifrey and the Time War. The Doctor wasn't supposed to find me and know the pain I suffered at his and Rassilon's hands. How I saw the future before The Visionary could ever know what was bound to happen. I saw the danger Earth was in before Rassilon decided to move Gallifrey across time and space. When I looked into the Time Vortex for the first time, I ran as far as I could. In that, I saw not only the whole of time and space, but the endless existence of my race. My heart was on fire, burning for help and I thought I could only give it to myself._

_ But almost 700 years of silence with nothing but my voice to comfort me kept me wondering. Should I seek Him? The only one left to ease my loneliness? It wouldn't be fair to him to know that I was around, but how angry would he be at me for leaving before the war even broke out? I left, a coward, not even daring to see the first second of our demise._

_ I crept around corners, watching Him sometimes. I was there when Rose became Bad Wolf, I was there when Martha saved him from The Master's evil plans and the Toclafane, I was there when he saved Donna Noble from the Racnoss. But still, my cowardice kept me away from Him. Kept me away from all conflict and all terror that the Doctor so seeked in his everyday life. I strived for normalcy, jumping from place to place in my pink TARDIS, making sure it never found the danger and the excitement that the Doctor sought to find in his adventures. Mine were relaxing, even dull at times. I kept hidden, ignoring a few Time Lord calls I got. I felt so bad when I received one that was screaming for help. I didn't want to face my own kind again. I made sure the Doctor could never feel me._

_ But now, time has changed. The timeline that I always saw, the whole of time and space living inside me, had changed. I couldn't see my future anymore. It was blocked and blurred, cloudy. Me, The Mystic, could no longer see what was going to happen to me and this frightened me beyond my wildest dreams. I thought it had meant certain death, but little did I realize, it meant something entirely more important:_

I twirled and pressed the buttons on my lovely TARDIS, but even though I was in love with her, I couldn't help that nagging, anxious feeling at the back of my mind that my future had suddenly gone cloudy. I couldn't escape from something before it would happen. I thought for certain this meant my end: that death was upon me and soon. I feared my death, of course, my ever-present cowardice lingering, but living for over 900 years puts a certain kind of wise, terrible façade on your idea of death. You come to terms with it many-a-time throughout your life. Sometimes, I think a Time Lord lives too long.

My TARDIS was spinning out of control, going on its own to some destination I knew nothing of. No idea where, no idea when. My life was chaos, and I believed that it was ending soon. That my TARDIS would explode and me with it, predicting the cloudy future that held my destiny. But then, we abruptly stopped, the TARDIS throwing me to the other side of the ship. I lifted my head to look around, the main core finally slowing and cooling down to the right temperature. I stood up and sighed. I held myself up, still recovering from my recent regeneration; another reason why I thought I was dying. My body had regenerated many times without any warning in the past few weeks. Right after I was done with one, soon after another would start, as if I was sick in some way.

"Oi!" I heard from outside the doors of my TARDIS. How? How was that possible? It was meant to be concealed from everybody. Then, I felt it. His presence.

My heart skipped a beat, my mind racing. He'd know, he'd know, of course he'd know. I got up immediately and ran to the console of my TARDIS, trying to get it to leave this place and time, trying to find someplace else to go. Away from Him, away from the truth He'd know. But my TARDIS wouldn't cooperate, leaving me stuck and stranded here, wherever here was.

"Hey!" I heard once more. I heard his sonic screwdriver trying to open the door. I bolted the door heavily and heard knocking from the outside.

"Who are you?" He asked. I kept silent for a moment before I heard, "I know you're in there!"

"Nobody! Go away, and quit jamming my guidance system," I shouted, still trying to leave this place.

"Oh no, I know you know something. You can't be a TimeLord, so what are you?" He asked again.

"Nothing. Nobody. Let me leave!" I insisted, still trying everything I knew how to do.

"You aren't going anywhere until you explain yourself to me face to face," he said, still pounding on the door. I realized my struggle was futile. Here it was, I'd have to face Him. I walked over to the door, unbolted it, and opened its hinges.

I let my guard down, unleashing the secret of my Gallifreyan past. He could feel me now. His eyes became glossy, his mouth agape.

"Where… have you been?" He asked. I smiled slightly to see such a familiar face.


	2. Your Protector

"Hiding."

"The Mystic," he laughed so heartily, his face full of joy. He swooped me up into a hug, tears streaming down his face. I clung to him, relishing the first touch of warm flesh I had felt in over 800 years.

"Doctor," I smiled. My fears and doubts had melted away as soon as I saw Him. I cried as well, holding him, almost like everything that had happened never was.

We held each other for a moment before he let go of me and ran to my console.

"Ohh, she's a beaut! Look at her! So well maintained. So shiny," he said as he ran back to me and embraced me once more.

"How are you even here?" he asked, his voice breaking. "How did I not feel you?"

"It's a long story." He let go, his initial happiness fading.

"Why didn't you want me to find you? Why are you so-?" he trailed off. This was the moment I had most feared. I knew that he knew.

"I'm a coward, Doctor. Probably the most cowardly person you'll ever know after I tell you my story." He stood there, waiting for me to speak more, his face unchanging.

"I saw the outbreak of the Time War years before it happened. I saw the outcome, you know this. I saw the skies of Gallifrey burning, turning my home into nothing but rubble. And the only courageous step I've ever taken was going to the council and Rassilon and telling them. They didn't believe me; of course they didn't. Us Gallifreyans are so resistant to the idea of death and destruction. Our egos are so big, so vast, we can't possibly die. They didn't believe such a young Time Lady just discovering her talents, no. I told my family and they laughed it off, wouldn't believe it themselves. I tried to get them to come away with me, but they said it was nonsense. That us Time Lords were too strong to be defeated by the Daleks.

"That night, after I told you of the War, I left. I didn't know whether or not you had believed me, but your eyes had told me 'yes'. I left Gallifrey trembling and went forward in my TARDIS to the moment of destruction. I watched the planet envelop in flames. Then, I saw you, leaving as well, your TARDIS ablaze. I saw the Master's transport leaving the atmosphere. I thought at first that maybe I was wrong, but there was my home, burning to crisp. And I know it was you, Doctor. You had to save the whole of creation.

"And so I've remained travelling by myself, all these years. I watched you from afar. And I regret hiding myself from you. I just didn't want you to know I was here because I'm a coward for leaving. Especially for not telling you I left." We stood silent for a minute before he gathered me into his arms once more.

"I thought I had lost you," he whispered. "It was so hard to lose everyone, but you were so hard to lose. I thought someone had murdered you."

"One of the best things I've ever done was tell you what needed to be done in order to protect the whole of creation. I'm just so sorry it had to be you. It should have been me burning Gallifrey," I said, tears streaming down my face.

"No, no. Don't do this to yourself. Nobody believed you but me."

"I thought they might condemn me for heresy. For questioning the strength and glory of Gallifrey and the Time Lords. I left as soon as I got the chance. I'm so sorry for not telling you. And for keeping hidden all these years. We could've had so much."

"Ahh, well, there's still time. And look at you! You've regenerated. Why? And ginger! That's not fair, I've always wanted to be ginger." I smiled at him. Always the same Doctor, never changing.

"This is the fourth time I've had to regenerate in the past few weeks," I said. "And I didn't know what it was until today. I think I'm dying, Doctor."

"Four in just a few weeks?" he asked in disbelief, pressing his hand against my cheek. It felt cool and calming, a simple, but intimate gesture. "What have you been getting into?"

"Nothing. My body just gives out and has to regenerate so often."

"This isn't normal," he said. He took out his sonic screwdriver and scanned me over. "When's the last time?"

"Yesterday," I stated. He scanned me and looked at me in disbelief.

"You've got no excess energy. And your body's already dying again."

"Doctor," I said, "maybe my TARDIS brought me to you because it knows I wanted to see you once more before I died. I've also lost my visions. Some still fade in and out, but for the most part, I can't even see the future like I used to. I'm thinking that maybe it's time." His eyes swelled up with tears once more. He scanned the room, refusing to believe.

"No, no, your energy's in here. Somewhere in here, in the TARDIS. Something's collecting it, but what?" he asked. He suddenly became excited, then laughed whole-heartedly.

"Mystic," he said running up to me, "you are not dying today, my dear. Not today, not anytime soon. " He grabbed my shoulders and kissed my lips harshly. Then he let go and grabbed my hand and we ran to my console.

"If I can trace the source, then we can bypass the simple mainframe of the cloaking device," he said, his madman-self coming out.

"But what if the cloaking device is hardwired to the core-circuit?" I asked.

"Then we'll have to destroy it, won't we?" he asked, a smile on his face. "Somebody is stealing your Time Lord, well, Lady, energy. Using it for their own. Which is a huge no-no in my book." Then, I felt another presence. One I hadn't sensed in a rather long time; something looming, something frightening. It was Him who I feared most. The Doctor and I weren't the only Time Lords present anymore.


	3. An Enemy Older than Time Itself

"Doctor," I said, gripping to the side of the console. A scene flashed in my vision momentarily, that cackling laugh. The Doctor came running up to me, holding me up.

"The Master," I said, gasping.

"Such a smart girl, Mystic," his voice said, his face popping up on the screen of the TARIDS.

"You disgraceful, evil-" The Doctor started, but then I felt a blow to my heart. I fell down, gasping. The Doctor rushed to my side, holding me in his arms. The Master inhaled and sighed, taking in the energy from my regeneration.

"Ahh, much better," he smiled callously.

"How could you do this to a fellow Time Lord? Slowly murder them, take away their lives?" The Doctor shouted.

"It's easy. I've had plenty of time to get under The Mystic's skin. She's so stable and doesn't move around a lot like you, Doctor. She likes to vacation in Yorgsbooth on the 12th planet in the Dimensian galaxy, soaking up the suns and basking in the purple ocean waves. Oh yes, I've been following her for awhile. I've found ways into the TARDIS, planting my devices."

"How are you even back?" I asked.

"Oh, Mystic, Time Lords will always find a way, won't we?" he smiled, taking in more of my energy. I felt a twinge, the blow not as hard this time.

"Are you even in here?" he asked.

"Does it look like I am?" he said, pointing to his surroundings. He wasn't, I knew my TARDIS all too well.

"You won't get away with this. I won't let you. If you had just asked me for help, maybe I could have helped you, but you have crossed the line this time, Master," the Doctor said. He turned off the screen, the Master starting to protest.

"Wait here for me. I'll be right back. My TARDIS is just outside the door. I'm going to grab something that will help us find him, and then I'll be back in just a second," the Doctor said, kissing my cheek softly.

"All right. Hurry, please," I pleaded. The Doctor closed the doors and I felt the heavy whooshing of my TARDIS pick up.

"What?" I said, getting up from the ground, trying to take control of the TARDIS, but it had a mind of its own.

"No, no!" I heard the Doctor scream from the other side.

"Doctor!" I shouted. Then the whooshing stopped. I ran to the door and opened it.

"Doctor," I said. But the person standing in front of me was not the Doctor.

The Master grabbed me by my throat and pushed me back into my TARDIS harshly.

"Ohhh, I've been waiting for this moment for years. You thought you could just hide? Hide from the Time Lords? Maybe from the Doctor, but _not from me_." He threw me to the ground. I hit it hard, my head bouncing off the metal-grated floor. I gasped in pain, feeling it resonate through my whole body. The Master crouched down next to me.

"I'm going to suck every single life out of your body, and watch The Doctor cry over you all over again," he whispered into my ear. I flung my head forward and head-butted him. He fell to the side and I jumped up, running to my console.

I flipped the switches, I turned the gears, I pulled the levers, and the TARDIS was starting to take us back to wherever The Doctor was, but The Master took out his screwdriver and used it on me, taking my energy. I grabbed my chest, clinging onto the console for dear life.

He walked towards me calmly, and stopped my TARDIS from leaving.

"Oh, tsk tsk tsk, so weak," he said condescendingly.

"It's your fault," I said. The Master smiled "Take me back. You have four of my lives. Just leave me alone now. You don't have to do this." The Master laughed and grabbed my arms, lifting me up. He cinched them behind my back, my strength depleted.

"This isn't just about you." I shot him a deathly glare.

"You leave him alone," I said firmly, a harsh tone in my sharpest voice. He pinched my arms tighter and I gasped in pain.

"Oh, I plan on destroying him through you. Slowly, but surely, I will keep on running until you're on the brink of death. Then I'll let him find me. And find you." He pushed me forward towards the doors and kicked them open. He pushed me towards his own TARDIS with a working chameleon circuit, its shape blending in with the surrounding environment. I breathed heavily for a moment, mustering every bit of my strength I had. Just as we were about to enter his TARDIS, I broke free of his grip. I had just enough time to run from his a short distance and take out my sonic. I pointed it at my TARDIS. It started _whooshing_, going back to the last point it had been at.

"Oh, you clever Mystic," he said, grabbing me again, putting my sonic in his pocket. He pushed me back to his TARDIS.

*Doctor's POV

"No, no!" I said, smacking my console, its sparks striking my skin.

"Come on, old girl," I pleaded. I heard a _whooshing_, but it wasn't my TARDIS. I opened my doors and there was her TARDIS, an exact replica of mine, except pink. A charming gesture, and ode to me. She broke her chameleon circuit for me. I ran out of my door and opened up her TARDIS. Her hologram popped up.

"This is security protocol #439. Authorized Time Lord presence detected. Identification: The Doctor. Doctor, something has happened to me. If I am gone from my ship, I am in dire danger. I am still alive, but most likely not for long. There is a tracking device in my sonic connected to this TARDIS. It knows exactly where I am. To find me, you know what to do. End transmission."

Her hologram disappeared. Rage swelled inside of me. The Master has so little regard for the Time Lord race. How dare he. I had to act fast. I ran to the console and started turning the knobs and pulling the levers.

"Please don't let it be too late," I whispered to myself.


	4. Pythia, Theta, and Koschei

*Mystic's Point of View

Rope kept my hands tightly bound behind my back. The one fallacy of us Time Lords: the physical strength of a human. I felt so helpless here in his TARDIS, a trillion miles away and billions of years away from The Doctor; my only help, my only salvation.

I wanted to save myself so badly, but unlike the magical Doctor and Master, I wasn't as cunning. At the Time Lord Academy, we had been in different Chapters. I remember…

_The Time Vortex in the Untempered Schism still haunted me daily. I knew everybody in the Patrex Chapter had the same thoughts I did about it. Us in Patrex had all been afraid of the Vortex, but I was the only one who could still see it in its entirety from time to time. I could recall events in history, mostly past, but some future events. It scared me to no ends, and unlike my classmates, I was extraordinary: I could see the future._

_ Only pieces at a time though, not all at once. I had hoped to see it all for what it was one day, though, despite how it frightened me. It's good to face your fears. This way you know what you're up against. Hardly anyone had believed me, but there were a fair few that promoted my talent. I stayed after classes into all hours of night sometimes, practicing and studying with The Visionary in order to tame my talent. _

_ But some nights, when I wasn't busy with taming my talent, I'd sneak out to see Theta. Time Lords and Time Ladies were forbidden to leave the Academy together, and I had had some apprehension with disregarding the rules, but Theta knew no bounds. When he chose his title of "The Doctor", I knew he'd be a help to many, but I knew he was a renegade, always playing by his own rulebook. Him and Koschei were always up to no good. I hadn't liked Koschei much, mostly because of his dominating personality, which fit __perfectly with his title: The Master. My chosen name was __Pythia, for the prophetess Oracle, but nobody called me that. They preferred to call me my rightful title that nobody believed in: The Mystic. Most believed I hadn't earned it yet nor actually possessed the capabilities, but still called me this because Pythia was too grand for me. I was not worthy of the title of phrophetess or an oracle yet. The Visionary had faith in me. Theta and Koschei believed me as well, but I sensed Koschei's doubt and hesitation._

_ Theta and Koschei were inseparable, always joined at the hip. Their ability to create trouble and rebel was a prized possession of those in the Prydonian Chapter. They spent many nights drinking out in the pastures Koschei's father owned. The crimson grass shined beneath them and they'd just lie there, drinking pre-mixed bottles of hyper-tonics and Laudbaums. One night, I had snuck out after a long evening with The Visionary, practicing projecting myself into future thoughts a few years down the road._

_ "Theta? Theta? Doctor?" I whispered into the darkness behind the high walls. He jumped out from behind, scaring me._

_ "Theta!" I exclaimed, my hearts beating incredibly fast. He smiled and laughed to himself. I was about to tell him off, but he placed his finger to my lips. He gestured with his hand for me to follow him. Still angry at his little joke, I didn't move. He grabbed my hand and tugged me along. As soon as we were out of the vicinity of the Academy, we began to talk._

_ "So, how was the projecting tonight, Pythia?" he asked._

_ "Difficult," I said, remembering the memories I had had. I had skimmed over the first few months of the universe with ease, but I came across something that pertained to me and my future when I hit month nine. "Very difficult. The first few months are always easy to see, but beyond that it gets harder."_

_ "Did she say how long it'll take?"_

_ "Fifty more years or so. I'll be able to know what to do to get past those difficult times. I'll see the whole universe, Theta."_

_ "What a responsibility," he said, shaking his head. "But I believe in you. I know you can do it."_

_ "How can you be so sure?" I heard that sharp voice say. Koschei came from around the corner, blowing rings of cigarette smoke into the air._

_ "I told you these aren't good for you," Theta said, grabbing it and smoking it himself._

_ "How do you know I'm not?" I asked._

_ "Nobody's ever been able to do it. No matter how much Patrex tries to see into the future, they never get any farther than a few months."_

_ "Mystic went to nine months tonight," Theta said as Koschei joined our little band as we walked to Koschei's pastures._

_ "Really?" he asked, "sure it wasn't a fluke?"_

_ "No," I said sternly. "It wasn't."_

_ "Oi! No tension tonight guys, ey?" Theta grabbed his bag and took three big bottles of Laudbaums. "Tonight's about relaxing and remembering what we're living for."_

_ "This is what being in college is for. Don't you two remember what tonight is?" Koschei asked, walking backwards, facing us._

_ "No," we both answered._

_ "Today is the anniversary we were taken from our parents and shown the Schism. Sixty-seven years ago today."_

_ "Tonight, we drink!" yelled Theta through the side-streets of Gallifrey. I laughed, as did Koschei._


	5. Stay Strong

The room he locked me in was cold, its sharpness stinging my uncovered hands. My exposed stomach and back were freezing and I couldn't keep concentration on what was in front of me. Everything was so dark.

The lights suddenly switched on, their brightness blinding me. I closed my eyes for a moment and then opened them to see the horrific room before me. A picture of the Master's every reincarnation hung on the wall in a frame of gold-painted oak and was lined with green and red velvet. The walls were red as well and I was tied down to the chair sitting opposite from a desk. He had his own God-like office in his TARDIS, something I would have expected from him. A tribute to himself. In the corners stood marble statues of himself with muscles and strength, his feet crushing all other beings of the Universe. This sickened me.

"Do you like it?" that voice said. I turned my head as far as I could to see him. He sauntered over towards me, his manner giddy. He was finally getting what he wanted.

I didn't answer him. I wouldn't fuel his fire. I refused to make him feel good about his misdeeds.

"I think it rather states who I am. I know I'm self-admiring and narcissistic, Mystic, but you do have to admit that I have done fairly well for myself. Even managed to steal back my TARDIS from a place that was supposed to be unreachable. A pretty amazing feat, considering all, wouldn't you say?"

I didn't speak. I didn't dare to. Unlike The Doctor, I could never forgive him for what he did. But like The Doctor, I would not respond. I wouldn't give him that pleasure. It took me all the strength and every fiber of my being to hold my tongue, to not scream "let me go!". I had to stay strong here.

He was displeased with my silence.

"What, nothing to say?" he taunted.

"How are those drums doing, Koschei?" I asked, disdain prevalent in my voice. His face twisted for a moment. I could see his anger bubbling. I had managed to speak without giving him any satisfaction, only contempt. He took out his laser screwdriver and pressed a button on it. I instantly writhed in pain, feeling the life inside me diminishing.

"How's dying, Pythia? Everything you'd thought it'd be? You know very well that's not my name. It's the Master, _your _Master. I could kill you right now if I wanted to."

"And not humiliate me first? Oh, that isn't your style at all," I said, quoting the Doctor directly. He stared in astonishment for a moment.

"I've been around a lot longer than you think, _Koschei_," I hissed. I couldn't hold my anger any longer. He used his laser again, taking away my life force. He left it on, prolonged, and I screamed. He seemed to relish in my pain, smiling. When he stopped it, my body went limp with weakness.

"You know you're being humiliated. I know how you still feel about him. Him having to come save you, only to fall into a trap himself is almost too unbearable for you to think about. I know you better than you think, _Pythia_," he said, his voice low, his face right in front of mine.

"It pains me, but does not humiliate me. I'm much too strong for that. You're forgetting I've seen more than you can imagine. What you saw in that blip of a second is what I saw every day until you took it from me."

He was quiet for a moment, smiling at me. He was up to no good, his face unchanging. I knew it all too well; a familiar malevolent action on his part. I bit my lip.

"I know how to humiliate you," he smiled. I knew I should have kept my mouth shut. I shouldn't have said a word. His face contorted. He slapped me, my cheek stinging red hot. I gasped In shock and pain. Then he did it again.

"So…helpless! So…weak!" he said between slaps. Then he stopped, taking his laser out on me, not even giving me a moment to breathe. The pain radiated through me.

"Beg me," he said, his voice low and malevolent. "Beg your Master."

I didn't say a word, but I groaned in pain.

"_Beg your Master_," he said again, turning up the pain. I then realized that he wasn't stealing my life at that moment. He was just causing pain to cause pain. A truly evil act.

Still, my body felt as if it were on fire. My hearts beated rapidly, my head spinning.

"No!" I screamed wildly, as if the primal Time Lady in me was emerging.

I saw a flicker of disappointment in his eyes for a moment until he turned it up even higher, twisting the laser screwdriver callously and cruelly. I screamed at the top of my lungs, and he slapped me as hard as he had before.

"Beg me!" he shouted. I held out a few moments before my body became engulfed in so much pain, my mind could no longer take the ever-constant torture.

"Please! Please, Koschei stop!" I yelled at him, writing in despair.

"What? I'm sorry, I didn't hear that," he taunted, a blatant smile on his face.

"Please! Please Koschei!" He turned it up almost all the way. I felt my mind starting to blackout from the pain. Tears started running down my cheeks.

"Please, Master!" I screamed. "My Master!" Anything to get him to stop. Anything to get relief.

"That's better," he said, turning it off finally. My body collapsed into itself, relieved to be out of pain.

"Much better. Now you know your place," he said, wiping one of my tears from my red cheek, tasting it.

"Do you know your place now?" he asked, his face incredibly close tomine. My teether were gritted, tears still streaming down my face, eyes cast downward. I kept my mouth closed.

"Good," he whispered cruelly. He turned around and left the room. As soon as he did, I screamed at the top of my lungs.

*Doctor's POV

It was not weird, but… different using another TARDIS. I felt the strong personality it held and how connected it was to The Mystic. She hadn't had to steal hers: the High Council had given one to her as soon as she had graduated the Academy to further her "alleged talents".

I had never understood why nobody believed her. What reason had she to lie? Even her parents had their doubts.

It seemed hesitant to work with me for a moment, but then the TARDIS started up. It went into automatic mode. All I had to do was push the necessary buttons and pull the levers. It knew where to take me.

I remember her first face, her natural-born self without the regenerations. Her face was made of white, silky satin and her green almond-eyes contrasted greatly with the plethora of billowing light brown hair that came down in waves over her back. Her eyes had never changed, even now. They looked the same.

I remember that night…


	6. That Night Pt I

_"You'd have loved it, Theta," Pythia said, smiling, her face dreamy and in a haze._

_ "What was it like?" I asked, thoroughly interested. Us in Prydonian weren't allowed yet to travel outside of this world or time, unless specified and recognized by the High Council and given parental permission. Prydonian was planning a trip in fifteen years or so, but it seemed much too far ahead. Patrex took a yearly field trip to a planet of choice for they were the predictors of time, given special rights. Prydonians also had their benefits and were considered the best chapter, but Patrex was the cleverest._

_ "They took us to Earth, a most easy planet. I know you, Theta. You would have loved it. I know you talk about it all the time and you were right: the grass is green, only one yellow sun and they didn't have to live in a dome like us. Their world was free to roam and oh, did they. The sky was the bluest blue I'd ever seen. Hardly imaginable, a blue sky. But the people, so interesting. Humans. So much free will and huge egos with so little to back it up with. And despite all this, always moving forward. They're so strong for such a small, insignificant race."_

_ I listened to her intently, wondering for myself about the marvels of space and time travel I would have the pleasure to partake in in the future. She smiled at me._

_ "Oranges!" she said. I looked at her quizzically. She laughed._

_ "Our grass smells like oranges. We don't know it because we're so used to thinking our grass smells like grass, but on planet Earth is smells exactly like oranges. They're a fruit they have that is orange and you peel it. It's full of—wait, why am I even telling you this. I brought one back from there," she said, reaching into her bag._

_ I sat up suddenly, intrigued._

_ "Not afraid you'll get in trouble?" I asked. She smiled._

_ "Why, are you?" she said back. I smiled coyly and took the strange fruit from her hand. She showed me how to peel it and how to break it open. As soon as I did, the smell hit my nostrils._

_ "Oranges," I repeated._

_ "Eat it," she encouraged. I took the small sliver and placed it in my mouth. A flood of juices spilled over my teeth, cascading over my tongue._

_ "It's delicious!" I said, eating another slice. She giggled happily and watched me enjoying my orange. It mesmerized me to think that this fruit had come from a planet so far away._

_ "Today's the day, Theta," she said._

_ "What day?" I asked, still eating my orange._

_ "The day it happens. The day I saw nine months ago."_

_ "Ahh yes, the day you won't tell me about," I said, reliving that horrible anticipation of nine months of waiting, wanting to know what today is about._

_ "And for good reason," she said matter-of-factly. I gazed at her and finished my orange._

_ "I'm worried," I said._

_ "Don't be. I already told you it's a good thing. That's all I can let you know. It can jeopardize the future," she said, scolding me._

_ I picked at my teeth, the pulp of the fruit stuck in my gums. Today couldn't have been more beautiful already. The sky was a burning orange, red flares every now and then. The artificial breeze was a nice touch, especially with the sun burning so hot. The school season was over for now, but still we remained at the Academy for the summer. _

_ "A walk?" I suggested._

_ "Yes," she said delightedly. We rose and walked along the paths and corridors of the towering ancient spires and grand halls._

_ "I can't imagine leaving The Capitol," I said, thinking about it. This thought both scared me, but excited me._

_ "I was hesitant, trust me. But it's so safe. Well, almost. As long as you know where you're going. You will, Theta. We will, because I can see it. I can see your first trip outside of the Citadel. You're so full of amazement and happiness," she told me, closing her eyes to concentrate on the future. She grabbed ahold of my hand, her eyes still closed, concentrating._

_ "Where the rift is open. A beauteous wonder, a shining nebula. It's the Medusa Cascade," she said, her thoughts projecting into my future._

_ "How…?" I asked. She had never done that before to me. I had seen her do it to others before she was scolded for using her talents for "mere fortune-telling trickeries"._

_ "In fifteen years, just you see. Then you'll know," she smiled. I noticed she was still holding my hand. I let go and I thought I saw a flicker of disappointment on her face._

_ But then she became extremely excited, probably remembering that nights' engagement. And as if I had my own talents of seeing the future, that's exactly what she was giddy about._

_ "Is Rani coming tonight?" she asked, those big, green eyes just staring up at me._

_ "Yes, and my brother," I said, sitting down on a patch of red grass underneath the silver-leafed trees of Trudith Park._

_ "Should be fun. Ulysses is always fun," she smiled. And I thought I felt a twinge of fury burning in my hearts. The white-hot rage of jealousy. I hadn't told her yet, but I had fallen for Pythia and I didn't know how to express it. What to do, what not to do, how to treat her right. Sure, I had fooled with many girls, but I was serious about none of them. They loved me and Ioved them for three minutes. I was that guy. Don't ever be that guy, because you will regret it_

_ But for some time, I knew that she was different to me. I wanted to do it right; be a friend, a lover, and choose to make the right decision because I felt like she was meant for me. And to hear her speak of my brother in such a way, no matter how innocent she meant it to be, was heart-breaking._


	7. That Night Pt II

_That night, we all walked to the party half-way across the Citadel; Pythia, Koschei, Rani, and I. It was a long walk, but worth the party. We entered the lavish apartment next to the tallest spire in the city, the walls decorated with Old High Gallifreyan text that glittered in the lights. There were at least 300 people here, drinking, smoking, and laughing. Pythia was beautiful: she had her untamed brown hair back and out of her face and had a black corset dress on. She was a complete vision. I had gone traditional black tie: a black and white suit for fancier occasions._

_ I had almost worked up the courage to ask for a dance, but my brother came out of the crowd with two drinks and ran up to Pythia._

_ "Ahhh!" she squealed upon seeing him, running up to him. She lung her arms around hisneck and I almost wished I hadn't invited him. He stumbled a bit and laughed. He handed her the drink and she took a big gulp._

_ "It is so good to see you!" she said, ruffling his shaggy hair. He smiled back at her._

_ "It's been, what, three years?" she smiled again. I went to the bar and got a drink as they talked. She hadn't even noticed I left. Koschei and Rain left the two to talk amongst themselves and came to the bar with me._

_ "Why don't you just tell her?" Koschei said, obvious annoyance in his voice. I sputtered on my drink, feeling the burn of the alcohol in my nose._

_ "What?" I asked._

_ "You heard me. You've been trying to hide it for weeks, Theta. You're not fooling me."_

_ I lingered on the thought._

_ "She likes Ulysses," I said, taking down the other half of my drink._

_ "She's Patrex. She's fragile. She's unable to tell you, so she goes for your brother because he's younger, easier, and likely to speak his mind more. You're very reserved. But, you used to be like him; a complete philanderer and heartbreaker. She likes you too, Theta. More than you know. Don't let her get away," he said, placing his hand on my shoulder._

_ "Nine months," I said. There were a number of things she could see, but she seemed so happy about this month-mark. Could it be me?_

_ "What?" Koschei asked._

_ "Nothing, nothing," I said, playing it off._

_ "So?"_

_ "I'll do it," I said, taking down another drink._

_ "Attaboy," he said. "You let me know how it goes, okay?" I nodded and they walked away._

_ "Just a few more drinks," I said to myself._

_ Feeling rather sloshed and confident, I finally got up from the bar. I searched the crowd vigorously, trying to find her. I finally found her with Ulysses, Koschei, and Rani in the back of the crowd. _

_ "Pythia," I said. She turned around, those big, beautiful green eyes staring up at me._

_ "Theta! Where have you been!" she asked. I hesitated for a moment, getting all my thoughts in order, but they just wouldn't cooperate._

_ "You know that… well, I know… well, I… shit. Pythia, I really, really like you. It's not even funny how much I do. And I shouldn't, because I know you don't deserve me, and you're the most beautiful woman in the whole world," I blurted out. Her eyes were wide, studying my face. Perspiration gathered on my palms, my head spinning._

_ "Is that how you feel about me?" I asked, the liquid courage taking hold._

_ Her grin was wide, eyes luminous. She came up to me and her face lingered for a moment. And then she leaned in and kissed me harshly on the lips. I sank into the kiss, relishing it. I held on to her back and dipped her backwards, still kissing her, being the show off that I am._

_ She giggled as I did this, warming my hearts. The group was atwitter with chatter. And Ulysses gave me the ugliest glare._

_ "This is what I saw," she whispered._

_ "I know," I answered back._


End file.
